Sr. Pig (Mr. Pig)

Diego Luna’s Sr. Pig (Mr. Pig) is a low-key road movie about an old man and his pig, which is an improvement over a boy and his dog. Ambrose (Danny Glover) is a proud hog farmer who, when the bank forecloses on his farm, drives his prize pig Howie to Mexico to sell to a family friend. Along the way, he reunites with his estranged daughter, Eunice (Maya Rudolph), who has understandable issues about growing up as second fiddle to livestock. Sr. Pig ambles along at its own pace while also functioning as a Mexican travelogue, and there’s something very refreshing about the lack of culture clash as the duo travels through Mexico. Even the act of paying off the Federales early on is treated as a matter of course, and they’re kind enough to take Ambrose to an ATM to withdraw cash for the bribe. Otherwise, much of Sr. Pig consists of Ambrose revisiting old haunts and seeing old friends while trying to do the best thing for Howie in a modern world of inhumane factory farms. But Glover is always pleasant to hang out with, Rudolph gets to show off her considerable dramatic chops, while Joel Murray makes a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo. And if you don’t think you can feel sorry for a pig, wait for those last few minutes.